Piper PA-61-601P N717BB

Summary

On 8 September 1992 at about 20:40 local time, a Piper PA-61-601P registered N717BB, operated by Brent J. Black, was involved in an accident near Aurora, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 1992 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Aurora, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

39.0598, -84.8991

Aircraft

Piper PA-61-601P

Registration

N717BB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Brent J. Black

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vandalia → Memphis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI92FA267

1 person died.

EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ON SECOND CORPORATE FLIGHT OF THE DAY AND COMPLAINED TO THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN ABOUT THE AUTOPILOT AND ASKED HIM TO ADJUST IT. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WOULD REQUIRE A FLIGHT CHECK. THE PILOT SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, AND GOT THE TECHNICIAN TO TELL HIM HOW TO PERFORM THE ADJUSTMENT. RADAR SHOWS THE AIRPLANE STABLE AT 14,100 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE. IT THEN BEGINS TO DEVIATE FROM CRUISE ALTITUDE BETWEEN PLUS 100 FEET TO MINUS 200 FEET. CENTER GIVES THE PILOT A FIFTEEN DEGREE COURSE CHANGE FOR TRAFFIC AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGES THE INSTRUCTION WHILE THE AIRPLANE IS DEVIATING OFF COURSE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND NO FURTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND REPORTED HEARING A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A MUFFLED EXPLOSION, AND SEEING THE AIRPLANE EXIT CLOUDS VERTICALLY. THE OUTBOARD SIX FEET OF BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND 1.25 MILES FROM CRASH SITE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.